It's one of the finest movies made, a wondrous spectacle with outstanding hallmarks of what makes an epic. The parting of the Red Sea by Moses is a sight to behold, the clincher for a lone Academy Award win in Special Effects category, and it's still unbelievable for 1956. Charlton Heston will always be the King of Epics: The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, and El Cid. Not to miss is the strong performance by Yul Brynner.

If there's a definitive black American motion picture, it's Roots followed by Roots: The Next Generations. Starting out as a novel in 1976 by Alex Haley about nine generations of African descendants, Roots was developed into a TV miniseries one year later, and just about everybody in the country tuned in, setting viewership records. There's nothing like it.

The Godfather is a masterpiece with many big-time actors. There are numerous classic scenes, lines, and movie moments that make the whole thing unforgettable. Gordon Willis' cinematography is fantastic throughout, and that's why he has the moniker: Prince of Darkness. Marlon Brando's Don Corleone is the most imitated character of all time, and it's the beginning of Al Pacino's screen greatness.

It's a Wonderful Life is the Christmas picture of them all. It also captures the human spirit. The last twenty minutes is what transcends the film as a whole to another level, hence the repeated viewings. Any time you're confronted by a person who wants to commit suicide, the best answer is telling him to watch It's a Wonderful Life. This piece of advice will probably save his life, offering him a new perspective about the world.

A landmark in black cinema, The Color Purple captures the human spirit so well that it's a strange yet moving work of art with powerful scenes. Making her astonishing film debut is Whoopi Goldberg. There's so much for the characters to overcome such as domestic violence, incest, forced separation, rape, slavery, pedophilia, poverty, racism, and sexism.

This is the best picture of the decade. It's what I see in books about the Holocaust: Nazi brutality in black and white. Schindler's List is the stark truth of what happened in German-occupied Europe from 1933 to 1945. There are many powerful scenes that are beyond belief. Steven Spielberg should be praised for the singular cinematic achievement.

An epic of Ron Kovic's life with lots of highs and lows, Born on the Fourth of July is the one Tom Cruise will be remembered for eternity. It's to Oliver Stone's credit for making the film seamless and moving. He also takes advantage of Ron Kovic's autobiographical story to tell how one disabled Vietnam veteran went from an idealistic patriot to a cynical, jaded hater because of the lies that were spoon-fed to him.

When people talk about the power of cinema, the best example is Rocky's training montage which is uplifting, powerful, and unforgettable. Not just an outstanding boxing film, it also has the romance of a lifetime with an all-time great ending. Terrific acting and direction transcend Rocky into a moving motion picture for all people.

The epic of all epics, it's a big-budget picture amassing over 15,000 extras. Rome has never been so glorious-looking since the fall of the empire. The greatest and the most breathtaking climax comes during the chariot race. That scene is the reason alone the epic remains an insurmountable work of cinema. Although it's the highlight of Ben-Hur, the movie is much more than that which includes the rise of Jesus Christ.

Burt Lancaster achieves a remarkable transformation of himself into Robert Stroud, a world-famous ornithologist who's locked up in federal prisons most of his life. There's a lot to like about Birdman of Alcatraz: the direction, the black-and-white cinematography, the screenplay, and the supporting performances. Altogether, it's very difficult to stop the movie.

A magnificently made masterpiece, it's David Lean's magnum opus. One of the most remarkable jobs he did with his characters is not only to make them larger than life but also mysterious in terms of their ambitions and desires. Thanks to Freddie Young's spellbinding cinematography, it's impossible to deny the power of the desert that Lawrence of Arabia brings to the screen.

Platoon is an outstanding Vietnam War picture, depicting the realities of infantry combat. The performances by the ensemble cast are brilliantly rendered, but it's Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe who take the film to another level that makes the whole thing a tragedy. The most thrilling, impactful scene is Elias' death run.

On the Waterfront is one of the most important, influential films made. The best and the greatest ever, Marlon Brando is spectacular and is in a class of his own. Because of what he did, the landscape of acting had been forever changed. Any time I think of timeless movies with great performances, great scenes, and great lines, On the Waterfront is among them.

"There are no other cases. This is the case." The Verdict is Paul Newman's finest hour of his acting career. That much is brilliantly shown from the get-go when he's playing pinball while drinking a glass of scotch. His alcoholic character has given up on life, but when a case comes along that's worth fighting for, he finally becomes a changed man and finds meaning in life.

Benefitting from Frank Darabont's well-written screenplay and powerful direction, Tim Robbins' and Morgan Freeman's performances help lift the film off the ground and let it fly like the human spirit. If anything, it's the Red's voice-over narration that makes The Shawshank Redemption so good. Roger Deakins' cinematography gives the film a special feel as it enters the classic territory.

"I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you." Because of Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing is a timeless movie with memorable moments, fantastic music, and a killer intro, notwithstanding the strange mix of 50's/60's and 80's looks.

Michael Douglas is chilling as Gordon Gekko and steals every scene. The most famous line of Wall Street is: "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." It's also full of Gekkoisms such as "The most valuable commodity I know of is information," "Ever wonder why fund managers can't beat the S&P 500? 'Cause they're sheep, and sheep get slaughtered," and "I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it's ever fought."

Brilliant and haunting, The Last Picture Show is a timeless motion picture about individuals growing up in a dying Texas town. Robert Surtees' black-and-white photography has never looked better. Then, there's the ensemble cast: the old-timers and those who'll go on to be famous.

Two acting powerhouses come clashing each other in In the Heat of the Night: Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. As Virgil Tibbs, Sidney Poitier is magical and has two iconic scenes: "They call me MISTER Tibbs!" and when he slapped Mr. Endicott back. Of the latter, you could hear a pin drop in the middle of the Deep South.

What I love is the simplicity that's left open for translation. Easily the best part is how Dunbar is immersed into the Sioux culture. Near the end, his fellow soldiers show up. Dunbar takes place among them, but he looks out of place. Hence, it's the key moment of Dances With Wolves which is about human acceptance without bias. Not to be missed is the lush cinematography, and the buffalo hunt scene is terrific. Graham Greene and Rodney A. Grant turn in powerful performances.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles is an all-time classic that's relatable for everybody, no matter what decade it's viewed in. Scoring high in comedy, it's almost a laugh-a-minute all the way through. There are many funny scenes and one-liners involving John Candy. Both he and Steve Martin have called Planes, Trains & Automobiles their favorite movie they've done. Honestly, there's not a single flaw in it.

There are few films that are as exciting and inspiring as Point Break. I bet if anyone watched the movie just once, he may have entertained some thoughts about changing his entire lifestyle. Bodhi perfectly describes the truth-seeking experience: "Pure adrenaline, right?!? The ultimate rush. Other guys snort for it, jab a vein for it...all you gotta do is jump." Sounds pretty simple, eh? Patrick Swayze did the skydiving stunts and is thus captivating. It's easy to realize it in Johnny Utah's eyes when he saw what Bodhi could do.

A Brooklyn paint store clerk by day and undisputed king of the dance floor by night, it's John Travolta's most famous, iconic movie role. When I think of a film that captures a lost period, it's this one. At that time, disco was strictly underground, but when the movie came out, the subculture just blew up and John Travolta, although already famous because of the TV show Welcome Back, Kotter, became an instant international superstar.

Tex is among top three films of Matt Dillon's career. When the two high school girls saw Tex at the mall and walked away, one of them said, "God, he is so cute." It's true. At age 18, there's no question that Matt Dillon was one of the best-looking young actors in Hollywood history. More importantly, he could act. It was all too easy for him.

Dusty and realistic, it has a cast of hardened men leading a cattle drive from Texas to Fort Lewis, Colorado. A kid is eager to join them but soon find out how unfit he is for the cowboy life. It's been a series of poor decisions, causing everybody to resent him. Bad things happen, and there are consequences to pay for while law and order isn't a valid concept. The ending is Peckinpah-esque.